C177
It took me some time to stop crying and calm down.
Terence, who was still calmly rubbing my back, asked me.
"—Are you feeling calmer, Ethel?"
"—Yes."
When I regained my senses, I felt embarrassed again.
I cried in front of Terence again.
While before I had only shed a few tears, this time I was almost sobbing.
Furthermore, Terence's chest was wet because I had buried my face in it and cried.
My face turned red, so I moved away from him and spoke calmly.
"I'm sorry. If you give me the clothes, I'll wash them in the bathroom and then return them to you."
"It's okay. They'll dry in no time."
"I showed you a very unpleasant side of me."
When I said that, he grabbed me by the shoulder.
"It's not unpleasant at all. Please show me more of yourself. It's better if you seem weak. Please, trust me more."
He had a very serious look.
"Isn't that how lovers are? I'm your lover. As I said before, you shouldn't bear everything alone but also share it with me."
Those words really warmed my heart. But.
"—... but."
I just pouted.
"Terence doesn't usually show me his weakness."
"Do you mean me?"
"It's not fair. I've never seen you cry, but you've seen me several times."
Then, I heard the sound of air escaping from Terence's mouth.
"Is it amusing to you? I'm quite serious."
"No, because you're being cute."
"Anyway, I'll definitely see Terence's crying face. So stay by my side."
I grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him towards me.
"What I wrote in the letter was: 'You do your job and I'll do mine.' This is a cancellation. No matter what we do, we're together."
He willingly drew closer and hugged me again.
"Of course. Even if Ethel tries to push me away, I'll never drift apart."
"It's okay. So..."
I began to feel sorry for having Lucy and Kais in the bathroom all this time.
After a while, Lucy came out with a parrot on her head, and we sat down and shared information.
"That means no one else can use the warp door to move in this way like Terence."
Kais shook his head at my words.
"That's right. This kind of play was only possible because you two had connected pocket watches."
Terence clicked his tongue as if regretting.
"He said only one person can use the warp door. That's why we couldn't bring people who could be of help. Vinetta was very upset."
In Kais's case, it is said that he was able to accompany Terence because he was not a real parrot but an alter ego made of magical power.
"Now it's my turn."
After putting all the information they provided me on my head, I opened my mouth.
"Liena became an apostle of the evil god and acquired the ability to control monsters. And..."
I explained what I knew in as much detail as possible.
"Well, an evil God... Besides, the viscountess is the true Saint, and Princess Cassius is an apostle of evil...?"
Kais was very surprised when he found out the truth, perhaps because he had only heard that she had been captured by a monster.
He couldn't believe it, so when I showed him my divine power and Lucy's power, his surprise doubled.
Well, how many people in the world wouldn't be surprised to hear that a being like a god is trying to destroy the world?
The little parrot's body was trembling, so I calmed him down with a gentle tone.
"It's okay. We'll definitely stop the wave of monsters. And if you just stay in this room, nothing will happen to Kais. Just give me a little help from time to time..."
But suddenly the parrot screamed loudly.
"That's ridiculous! What kind of opportunity is this? Why should I stay locked in the room?"
"What? But it's dangerous if Liena catches you."
"It's worth the risk! Ah, my heart beats with being able to be in this historic setting where God's messengers are fighting!"
The parrot's eyes shone with an expression of ecstasy.
"I'm also interested in this building that is said to have been built by demons! Besides, what interesting monsters are there in the demon realm!"
"... Ah, sure."
"I really wanted to come in person, but it would be a waste. No, isn't it a little scary?"
Well, if you're okay with it, it's fine.
How can I understand the mental world of a geek?
"Anyway, now we're in the same boat."
I resolved the situation and formally greeted everyone.
"Please take care of me in the future."
When I saw everyone nod confidently, I felt at ease.
Although I had been with Lucy before, I always felt anxious.
But when Terence appeared and when I heard him talk about fighting for our happiness rather than a mission, something inside me opened up.
My goal hadn't changed since I escaped from Duke Cassius's residence to divorce.
Happiness. Then and now, I was moving forward to be happier.
"Yes, this is me."
It wasn't like me to speak so seriously, to say it was a crisis of humanity and a mission given by God.
When I thought about it, after hearing about the evil god of Miella and interacting with Arsia, who had a strong sense of duty as a saint, for a moment I forgot who I was.
Terence reminded me of that. What am I really?
Pow! I strengthened my resolve by giving myself a light slap on the cheek.
"I will save my precious people, not the world."
Then I felt lighter and more powerful than when I thought I had to save the world.
One after another, I thought of my precious people.
"Vinetta, Laura, Sharon, Diana and her family, Kayden, Tara, old Roland, Isaac..."
"Huh?"
Are some strange people mixed in?
Let's leave aside the last two people. Anyway, since they are my collaborators and we have seen each other face to face several times recently, they coincided with my will.
Anyway! Along with them, I will act to save Lucy, Kais, and my most precious person, Terence.
Of course, I was included. First of all, shouldn't I be happy?
"Let's do our best."
I spoke vigorously.
From that day on, we began a full-scale operation to overthrow the evil god.
"Do you remember the rope artifact Kais gave me before? I used that artifact on Sombra. Although it was absorbed by his body and disappeared for now..."
Kais couldn't hide his surprise after hearing my continued explanation.
"I can't believe you were able to use the effects of the artifact and the abilities of the monster in that way! I'm impressed. How did you come up with that idea?"
"It just happened...?"
In fact, I was just using the shadow extermination method that Liena had fortunately discovered in the novel.
Kais also expressed several opinions regarding his inventions that we have in our possession.
Although he was an alter ego, I felt that I gained a lot of power by having the inventor of the artifacts by my side.
Additionally, because his alter ego and his main body were connected, we were able to communicate indirectly with the outside world.
Currently, the world was plunged into chaos due to the premonition of a monstrous wave that appeared earlier than expected.
It didn't seem like a disaster that could be avoided only with Liena's will.
"Why don't we go play on the nearby hill today? Let's pack some raspberries and eat them. Like in the old days."
Liena, whether she knew it or not, continued to play house with me.
Although I didn't feel like it, I had no choice but to go along with Liena for the moment while silently waiting for the right moment.
"It's unpleasant."
The day I returned from a non-picnic picnic with Liena, Terence hugged me as I entered the room and murmured.
"Obviously, I'm your lover, but since we only meet here in secret, I feel like I'm having an affair."
"I can't help it. Monsters patrol regularly, and if you or Kais, who shouldn't be here, go out, they'll catch you immediately."
"Even so."
Unlike Kais, who seemed to be accustomed to living in his room, he seemed to have difficulties staying here.
"I wish you could console me a little."
Terence, who said that softly, unexpectedly kissed me.
It was a kiss where our lips only touched and then quickly pulled away.
I looked at Lucy and Kais confused, but they were talking amongst themselves.
"In reality..."
I looked at him, feeling embarrassed and somewhat regretful.
"Why are you doing this? What happened?"
Terence simply smiled mischievously and carried on.
I decided to bother with this unpleasant man and waited for nightfall.
Finally, when it darkened outside the window, Terence finished getting ready for bed, as he had been doing for the past few days, and tried to lie down on the small sofa.
But I took his hand and led him in the direction of my bed.
"Ethel?"
"We'll sleep together tonight. The sofa is narrow."
Upon hearing those words, Terence's eyes trembled.
He tried to go to the sofa, citing various reasons, but I insisted on sleeping in the same bed as him.
After a while, Terence finally lay down next to me.
"Now that I think about it, this is the first time we've been together in bed. There was a time in the past when we both fell asleep while recharging our divine power, but that time we were on the sofa, right?"
This was the story of when I first received power from him.
Since then, the burden of divine power has continued several times, but nothing like the first time has ever happened.
He always clings to me as if regretting it afterward, but eventually returns to his palace.
"... This is torture."
As the bed was not very large, Terence, who was next to me, muttered helplessly.
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